/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 2 comments
For years, the financial industry has lagged in its adaption of digital tools to market to, communicate with, and manage the relationships of clients. While Financial Advisors have gradually, sometimes begrudgingly, come to embrace new technologies, the covid19 pandemic this year has accelerated their digital transformation.
For growth-focused advisors, the crisis has been a catalyst for creating more digitally-oriented business development strategies. For example, according to Fidelity, the use of video conferencing for client interactions has doubled since the pandemic hit. In a survey by Ernst & Young, 55% of advisors say they plan to use virtual meetings more in the future.
As with most trends shaping the financial services industry, clients are leading the change. With 64% of high-net-worth clients and 75% of mass-affluent clients counting on their advisor relationship to be digital, it’s not just millennial clients who prefer a virtual relationship. For the most part, advisors are adjusting well to the change, finding it more productive and more effective at building their business. It also opens up more opportunities to find and work with clients who live in other parts of the country.
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Six Ways Financial Advisors Can Establish Trust in Today’s Virtual World
/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments
You can have all the technical and market skill in the world. But if people don’t trust you, you’re not going to open new accounts.
It’s just a fact of life in sales: If people don’t trust you, their defensive mechanisms are going to be up during the entire sales process. If you’re lucky, they’ll tell you. At least that way, you get to face the trust issue head on. That might give you a fighting chance.
But more often than not, you’ll be met with polite silence, and the dreaded “we’ll give you a call if we decide to do anything.”
If you hear that, chances are you whiffed on the trust issue.
After all, if you had their trust, they’d be looking for ways to talk themselves into doing business with you!
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Why It’s Critical for Advisors to Build Online Influence
/ by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments
The most significant transfer of wealth between generations is underway right now. For Financial Advisors, it could be an extraordinary opportunity, or it could threaten their very survival. Ultimately, it’s a matter of trust.
Do investors have trust issues with Financial Advisors? A study by the CFA Institute revealed that the financial services industry is among the least trusted industry. Only half of those surveyed indicated they trust the financial service professionals to do what’s right. In a separate survey, the CFP Board found that just 40% of investors trust financial advisors to put their interests first.
Of the emerging group of affluent investors, millennial and Gen Z investors – the ultimate beneficiaries of the great $30 trillion wealth transfer occurring over the next 30 years – may be the least trustful.
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5 Signs a Prospective Client Will Avoid Digital Engagement
/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 2 comments
For years, the financial industry has lagged in its adaption of digital tools to market to, communicate with, and manage the relationships of clients. While Financial Advisors have gradually, sometimes begrudgingly, come to embrace new technologies, the covid19 pandemic this year has accelerated their digital transformation.
For growth-focused advisors, the crisis has been a catalyst for creating more digitally-oriented business development strategies. For example, according to Fidelity, the use of video conferencing for client interactions has doubled since the pandemic hit. In a survey by Ernst & Young, 55% of advisors say they plan to use virtual meetings more in the future.
As with most trends shaping the financial services industry, clients are leading the change. With 64% of high-net-worth clients and 75% of mass-affluent clients counting on their advisor relationship to be digital, it’s not just millennial clients who prefer a virtual relationship. For the most part, advisors are adjusting well to the change, finding it more productive and more effective at building their business. It also opens up more opportunities to find and work with clients who live in other parts of the country.
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8 Stories to Help You Build Trust and Open Accounts
/ by Don Connelly / Storytelling, analogies and power phrases / 0 comments
As you might know already, I’m a big believer in telling a story.
As I write this, it’s presidential campaign season. The candidates are all about telling their stories. They want to get their preferred narratives out there, in front of voters. Successful candidates are very well rehearsed on these stories. They constantly make references to these stories, in the effort to brand themselves, differentiate themselves from other candidates, and inoculate themselves against attacks from competing candidates and their staffs.
Why?
Because it works!
It works in financial services, too.
In fact, it works so well that I don’t want you to have a single story defining you. I want you to have at least eight! And I want you to know them cold.
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The Right Story at the Right Time Can and Will Tip the Decision in Your Direction
/ by Don Connelly / Storytelling, analogies and power phrases / 0 comments
When you meet with prospective clients, they will very possibly have concerns. They may be worried about investing per se, undecided about whether now’s the right time to invest, or unsure if you are worth your fees.
Don’t see their concerns as obstacles but as an opportunity to build trust. If you suspect they feel anxious, step in tell them an “I know what you’re thinking” story to reassure them they’re doing the right thing. This is a story designed to take away some of your prospect’s concerns.
Here are some situations where a good story can help persuade prospects to hire you as their advisor.
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What Does It Take to Turn a Prospect into a Client?
/ by Don Connelly / Prospecting / 0 comments
If you’re booking plenty of appointments, that’s great news. But if you’re not consistently opening new accounts as a result, it’s a wasted effort. Read on to find out what you need to do to turn a prospect into a client.
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5 Things That Could Ruin Your Clients’ Trust in You – in Seconds
/ by Don Connelly / Managing the Relationship / 0 comments
It can take many years before clients come to know you and trust you, and during this time you’ll need to work hard to win them over. In order to earn their trust, you’ll need to demonstrate exemplary behavior and deliver a service that goes above and beyond.
But that’s not where it ends. It may have taken you years to build up trust but it takes just seconds to break it down. Just one slip and all that hard-won trust is gone forever. Make sure this doesn’t happen to you by avoiding the following behaviors.
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